Register adjusting device



Dec. 28, 1954 R; E. BRUMBAUGH REGISTER ADJUSTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 11, 1952 IN V EN TOR. ROBEkT 5 BEWWGI/ H/s ATTOE/L/EV Dec. 28, 1954 R. E. BRUMBAUGH REGISTER ADJUSTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11, 1952 v INVENTOR. EOBEETE. BEUMBALGH H/S ATTORNEY United States Patent REGISTER ADJUSTING DEVICE Robert E. Brumbaugh, Brecksville, Ohio, assignor to The Auer Register Company, Cleveland, Ohio Application June 11, 1952, Serial No.'292,795

6 Claims. (Cl. 98-106) This invention relates to control means for use in connection with air ducts and more particularly to an improved stop for .enabling the adjustment to a fixed gosition of a valve that controls the outlet or inlet of a net.

It is common practice to provide ducts for the hot and cold air supplies in heating systems of the circulating warm air type as well as for air conditioning systems. In such systems the ducts usually open into a room and at the point of opening are provided with a decorative grill, commonly called a register.

In such systems, in order that a proper heat balance for the various rooms may be realized, there are valves provided disposed in the ducts, which valves may be opened or closed in varying amount, to determine the volume of air being discharged.

In the interest of economy, as well as convenience and accuracy of adjustment, it is most desirable that these valves be controllable from the front of the register. By such control, the proper balance of a system may be more quickly realized. It is also desirable that the ducts may be completely closed by the valves, particularly where the temperature of some particular room may be varied from the normal set temperature; as an example, in a sleeping room in instances, where the windows are opened at night, the ducts should be shut off. In such a case, it is common practice to provide means whereby the valve may be completely closed at will, and, when reopened, will open the predetermined amount; the amount of opening having been previously determined by means which engages the valve operating lever to limit the amount of opening.

In order to effect this, the register is usually provided with a valve that is hingedly secured to the frame of the register. A lever is pivotally supported by the frame, in back of the grill, connected to the valve, and is provided with an operating portion extending through a slot in the front of the grill.

The lever, by movement up and down in the slot, closes and opens the valve.

Previously, it has been proposed to control the amount of opening of the valve by controlling the movement of the lever. This was done by providing an abutment secured by a bolt and nut which could be adjustably positioned to abut the lever and limit its movement in the slot.

The lever type of adjustment is preferred to a chain type adjuster because of the ability to more accurately provide the determined amount of opening of the valve.

Devices of this character were difficult to adjust with accuracy because the screw head was disposed on the front side of the grill and the nut on the back side, and the openings in the grill were not sufficiently large and, at best, made it exceedingly awkward to engage the same with a wrench.

The present invention provides a device whereby the aforesaid adjustment may be madewith the use of a screw driver only and where there are no loose parts difiicult to engage and wherein the adjustment may be simply made. The use of this device also simplies the construction of the grill and removes the possibility of unsightly parts being seen, and enables a much more accurate adjustment to be made.

In its broader aspects, the invention comprises a unitary device wherein a front portion engages and is slidable on the back of the grill opposite the lever slot and is held in posit-ion by a spring loop or bight integral therewith and carries a back portion opposite to and in engagement 2,697,977 Patented Dec. 28, 1954 with the front portion, the back portion being engaged by a screw which extends from the front of the grill through a slot in the front portion into the back part.

The invention in greater particularity will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and the following description which more fully describes the device and the manner of its use.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary front elevational view of a register with certain otherwise hidden parts shown by dashed lines;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged back elevational view of the device of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view thereof;

4 is an end view thereof;

Figs. 5 and 6 are views taken along the line 22 of Fig. l and showing two different operative positions that the device may take; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a modification.

Referring now to the drawings, throughout which like parts are designated by like reference characters, as can best be seen in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, a conventional grill is provided for closing and opening 10 in a wall and includes an outer frame 11 having a backwardly bent short flange 12 for engagement with the surface of .the wall and a longer inner flange 15 for engagement in the duct opening 10'.

The front of the grill (Fig. l) is provided with an opening which has the usual front louvers 16, in this instance, arranged in vertically extending parallel rows with a solid center piece or mullion 17 extending vertically therebetween.

As can best be seen in Figs. 5 and 6, the frame flange 15 is provided with downwardly extending tabs or loops 18 which hingedly support the valve member 20. The valve member 20 may be swung toward and away from the frame or grill front by a lever 25.

The lever 25 is hingedly connected by a pin 26 to a bracket 27 carried by the frame and has a laterally extending arm 28 slidably engaged in a loop or slot 29 on the front side of the valve. The other end 32 of the lever extends through a slot 30 in the front of the grill and is provided with an operating knob 31 on its end.

When the lever is grasped by the knob 31 and moved, the arm 28, being engaged in the loop 29, causes the valve to be moved. See Figs. 5 and 6.

It will be appreciated that when the lever is rotated, the portion 32 moves vertically in the slot 30. The further the valve is closed, the nearer the top of the slot the lever travels.

As previously stated, the amount of opening of the valve may be controlled by placing an abutment or stop so that it will limit the amount of travel of the lever arm 32 in the slot.

Such a device is most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4 inclusive.

Preferably, it comprises a portion for sliding engagement with the back wall or mullion of the register. This includes a flat body 40 of generally rectangular formation, the sides 41 of which are turned at right angles to the body to provide, with the body, a guide channel and also to increase the rigidity of the body, which may be constructed of thin spring steel.

At one end, the body is of narrower formation and is bent into circular form to provide a loop or bight 43. An extension of the bight portion is then provided by reversing the curvature as indicated at 44 to provide a tongue 45 which extends parallel to and in engagement with the body 40 in the channel formed by the sides 41.

This extension is provided with a screw engaging nut indicated at 47 which, in this instance, is formed integral with the tongue 45. It will be appreciated, however, that a separate nut could be used and could be either spot welded to the tongue 45 or held thereon by suitable tabs struck up from the tongue and engaging the nut.

A slot 59 is provided in the body 40 extending longitudinally therein and opposite to the nut 47. As will later appear, the slot allows the insertion of a screw through the slot into the nut and permits the body 40 to slide relative to the tongue 45 by virtue of the slot and the bight 43.

The end of the body 40 is provided with an outwardly bent hook shaped lug 52 which is struck from the bed; bearing a notch 53. As will later be seen, this lug 52 engages in the slot 3% in the register and provides an abutment for engagement with the lever arm 32. This lug extending into the slot also maintains the device in proper alignment preventing rotation thereof. A preferred form of construction (Fig. 7) comprises merely The assembly is effected before the register is installed,

the lug 52 being hooked over the bottom end of the slot 30 and the device tightened into position by the screw 60, with the bight 43 extending downward.

As can best be seen from Fig. 2, in the normal unstressed position of the parts, the nut 47 is opposite the end of the slot closest to the bight 43. In this position, the lug 52 extends upward far enough into the slot 30 of the register to engage the arm 32 of the valve closing lever when the valve is substantially closed.

When it is desired to adjust the valve, it is merely necessary to loosen the screw slightly. At this time, the nut 47 is held in a fixed vertical position because the hole 61 does not permit any substantial movement of the screw. If the valve handle is then moved downward, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the curved bottom surface 32 of the arm 32 rides against the lug 52 and forces the body 40, which may slide by virtue of the slot 50, downward against the resilient spring pressure provided by the resilient loop 43. This movement ordinarily causes some enlargement of the loop and a slight bending of the tongue 45 which, however, is held against vertical movement by the screw 60.

Should the handle be released, without tightening the screw 60, the inherent spring tension of the loop will cause the body 40 to slide upward, maintaining the lug 52 against the curved surface 32 of the arm 32. Should the screw be tightened, however, the nut 47 and the surrounding part of the tongue 45 clamps the 'body 40 securely against the back side of the mullion 17 and retains the body in a fixed position.

Therefore, in adjusting the valve, it is only necessary to loosen the screw 60, move the lever 25 by the handle 31 to the desired position to provide the desired opening of the valve and then tighten the screw. Thereafter, the valve may be closed at will or open to the predetermined fixed position determined by the position of the lug 52 in the slot 30.

It will be appreciated that the lug 52 could be an extension of the body 40 if desired.

Preferably, the device is made out of thin spring steel, but it could be of other metal such as phosphor bronze should it be found desirable. It will also be appreciated that the device is useful with other types of valves than that show and will be operable with any type valve or sliding panel where an operating lever or button moves in a slot or other opening.

Having thus described my invention, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made therefore without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a channel shaped body formed with an elongated slot therein, a spring loop secured at one of its ends to one end of the body, and having a reversely bent portion on the other end, a nut slidable in said channel opposite to the slot and connected to the reversely bent portion of the spring loop and a lug carried on the other end of the body and arranged for engagement with a lever arm.

2. A stop for a lever arm of a register having a grill and a valve member hingedly disposed in back of the grill for controlling the output capacity of a duct, wherein the lever is pivoted behind the grill and is connected to and arranged to move the valve member, and extends and is movable through an elongated opening in said grill, comprising a flat portion for seating engagement with the back of the grill and formed with an elongated slot therein, a continuation of said flat portion forming a bight and having a back portion extending from the bight opposite to said slot, said back portion having a screw threaded aperture therein for receiving a screw means extending from the front of the grill through an aperture therein through the slot and into the threaded aperture of the back portion, said flat position being arranged to engage and stop said lever.

3. A stop for a lever arm of a register having a grill and a valve member hingedly disposed in back of the grill for controlling the output capacity of a duct, wherein the lever is pivoted behind the grill and is connected to and arranged to move the valve member, and extends and is movable through an elongated opening in said grill, comprising a flat body portion for seating engagement with the back of the grill, sides for said flat portion to provide a guide channel, said body portion formed with an elongated slot therein, a continuation of said body portion forming a spring loop and having a back portion extending from the loop opposite to said slot in said channel, said back portion having a screw threaded aperture therein for receiving a screw means extending from the front of the grill through an aperture therein through the slot and into the threaded aperture of the .back portion.

4. A stop for a lever arm of a register having a grill and a valve member hingedly disposed in back of the grill for controlling the output capacity of a duct, wherein the lever is pivoted behind the grill and is connected to and arranged to move the valve member, and extends and is movable through an elongated opening in said grill, comprising a fiat body portion of spring steel for seating engagement with the back of the grill and having sides to provide a channel, said body portion being formed with an elongated slot therein, a continuation of said body portion forming a bight and having a back portion extending from the bight into said channel opposite to said slot and a nut carried thereby arranged to have a screw means extend from the front of the grill through the slot and into the nut.

5. A stop for a lever arm of a register having a grill and a valve member hingedly disposed in back of the grill for controlling the output capacity of a duct, wherein the lever is pivoted behind the grill and is connected to and arranged to move the valve member, and extends and is movable through an elongated opening in said grill, comprising a flat body portion of spring steel for seating engagement with the back of the grill and having sides to provide a channel, said body portion being formed with an elongated slot therein, a continuation of said body portion forming a bight and having a back portion extending from the bight into said channel opposite to said slot and a nut carried thereby arranged to have a screw means extend from the front of the grill through the slot and into the nut, and a lug on the end of the body portion for extension into the elongated opening and disposed for engagement by the lever.

6. A stop for a lever arm of a register having a grill and a valve member hingedly disposed in back of the grill for controlling the output capacity of a duct, wherein the lever is pivoted behind the grill and is connected to and arranged to move the valve member, and extends and is movable through an elongated opening in said grill, comprising a flat body portion of spring steel for seating engagement with the back of the grill and having sides cooperating with the body portion to provide a channel, said body portion being formed with a slot extending longitudinally thereof, a continuation of said body portion forming a spring loop and having a reversely bent portion extending from the loop into and guided by said channel opposite to said slot, a nut carried by said last mentioned portion formed for the reception of a screw means and screw means extending from the front of the grill through the slot and into the nut to lock said body portion against said grill, and a lug on the end of the body portion for extension into the llever opening and disposed for engagement with the ever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,144,140 Batcheller Jan. 17, 1939 2,541,346 De Roo Feb. 13, 1951 

